A Kiss in the Rain
by SilverMoonFlames
Summary: OneShot:The Leaf Village and its allies are being confronted by an enemy like no other the young chunin have ever faced, and he's after one thing and one thing only: Sakura Haruno. But no one knows why. And only one person lives to defend her. SakuLee sad


**Disclaimer: Do not own anything Naruto whatsoever :'( Freshly edited as well! Review plz!  
**

It was raining. One giant drop after the other plowed the muddy field. It was thundering, which only made matters worse.

Sakura pushed another wet tuft of pink hair behind her ear in frustration. It kept getting in her eyes, and that scared her. She needed perfect vision now more than ever.

She quickly ducked out from behind the tree she had hidden behind and shot an arrow from the fine ivory bow resting in her cramped hands. A strangled cry was emanated and all was quiet, except for the whistling gusts of cold wind that sent stinging droughts of rain into her face. Her breathing was heavy now, fatigued from the stress that battle had been putting on her for hours now. Was she the only one left? It was so quiet, yet so loud. She couldn't even tell if her arrow had fallen anyone. Then again, there were only a few enemy warriors...

Then _he_ appeared.

She cringed,horrified at her luck. Now of all times? She should have stayed in hiding.

He strolled closer from his 30 yard distance and stopped.

"You think you can win, girly?" the voice hissed. Shivers were sent up Sakura's back.

"All your friends are either dead, or are too cowardly to save you! You're _helpless_!" The words hit her hard, unshed tears stinging her eyes, because his words were true...

All her friends, her wonderful, caring friends had died for her in battle...to save her from a rival that wanted so badly to kill her for seemingly no reason...and the only people that managed to get out alive, or barely at that, had ran off to get help. Sakura was forced to stay, hidden, to keep from endangering all of Konoha.

She shuddered at the effort of holding back her tears...even Sasuke was gone...slayed before her as she helplessly stood idle...she cursed at her weakness...all her life she had been nothing but a burden...

The ominous figure kept advancing. Sakura drew another arrow and let it slide from her grasp. It sailed perfectly through the air and was right at his neck when he snapped it in two with a simple twitch of his fingers. Her self confidence dropped again. That was her last arrow...and he had thrown it away as if it were a child's toy...and the arrows had been hand crafted of solid ivory...

She thrust down the bow and ran. She didn't know where, she only knew that that was her last hope. All else has failed...hours of meaningless fighting and for what? Prolonged death? She brushed through trees and bustled past bushes,walls and walls of bushes. But she knew he was too close behind...

Suddenly he was too close _in front of her. _Sakura gasped and froze to the spot, only able to stumble back absent-mindedly as he advanced slowly.

"Sakura-kun..."

She would have slapped him for dare saying her name, if only he weren't homicidal...

"Sakura-kun..." his voice dropped and he bent down to her level. "Do you know who I am?"

At first she only stared angrily, sadly, terrified...then shook her head.

He stood up straight, a grin presented on his pale, ugly face. He opened his mouth to continue.

But suddenly he was winded, a shocked look on his pain-ridden face. Sakura gasped, wondering what had caused such an enemy to stop so abruptly.

"YOU ARE DEAD, THAT IS WHAT YOU ARE!" cried a new voice as the tall figure whipped around breathlessly. Rock Lee swung out from behind him, one hand grasping a tree vine, and the other reaching out for Sakura. She hesitantly held out her hand and was jerked upward into the air as Lee flew around and sailed through the air. She clung to his suit as they swooped into an oval. He was grinning broadly, obviously pleased with himself.

"L-Lee-san..." she stuttered quietly, so shocked at his prescence that she was momentarily stunned.

"Sakura-san,you are safe! I promised you I would always be there when you were in distress, and I am here!" he assured, but did not loosen the grip either on Sakura's waist or on the lanky vine. She clutched to his jumpsuit for support upon seeing the wizzing ground fly dizzily past her.

They landed swiftly on a tree branch several hundred yards away. Lee cast down the vine and quickly drew a kunai. His smile was replaced by one of his infamous frowns.

"Sakura-san, you need to go, now. Run and do not worry about me. I have dealt with worse..." he said firmly.

Sakura's eyes bulged. No...just like Naruto, Shikamaru, Ino, Tenten, all of them. Gone. But not Lee. He was here, he was alive. She could keep him from dying because of her, if not anything else.

"No, Lee-san, you don't understand,he's nothing like you've ever faced! Sasuke or Neji couldn't even handle him!"

"Anyone who wants _my _Sakura-san dead is going down! Whether you think I can or not!" he repeated, facing the direction the attacker could come from and spreading out his arms protectively. Pain imploded Sakura's heart, making her clutch her chest as if it could hold in the pieces. She only stared incredilously..._not another one...yet another fool who believes my life could possibly be worth even a scratch on theirs...I can't take this...I can't keep letting people fend for me...dying for me..._

"Lee-san...I know you can...I believe that you can defeat this...whatever he is, but that doesn't mean that I want you to!" she pleaded. "You could get hurt...Don't do this Lee!" Her voice trembled and a tear streamed down her cheek.

He dipped his head to the front. "I will do what I must for the one I love...anything to keep you safe, Sakura-san..."

It felt like a boulder had hit Sakura in the face. He was so stubborn...her heart was torn.

A rustle was made from the woods and Lee perked up abruptly. Suddenly a figure shot up out of the trees with a long sword firm in his hands. Lee tensed up, panic rising in his chest.

"Go, Sakura!"

"No..."

"Sakura! Please!"

"NO!"

Lee turned his head from side to side indecisively, as if trying to make up his mind what to do within a split-second.

Finally, just as the man was looming over their heads, katana drawn, Lee turned around and pummeled Sakura off the tree branch, holding her cautiously as they fell to the forest floor.

Sakura gasped and shut her eyes as they sliced through the bitter air, her soaked hair whipping and wrapping around Lee's neck.

When she opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was a long blade protruding from Lee's back...who was resting breathlessly on her. His breathing was strained and short.

She gasped and maneauvered her hands out from under his mangled body and painfully pulled out the sword, flinching as Lee groaned. Then she saw _him_...standing mockingly above them.

She was no longer sad or cold or lonely. She was angry. So angry, a gush of power rushed to her chakra points. She gently flipped Lee over, who had his eyes shut tight in pain, and got up. The cackling figure only crossed his arms and beamed expectantly. She seethed homicide now. She urged to slaughter this man, to hold his cold blade to his own throat and let him suffer...

Which is exactly what she did.

In one quick, fluid, unexpected motion, she scooped up the sword and sent it flying along with her soaring self, sinking into his chest. His eyes were narrow and confused. She let him fall to the ground before she shoved it in deeper. He breathed hoarsely for a few seconds, trying to whisper some last redeeming phrase, as if it would make her somehow regret her revenge, but no words came out before he closed his eyes ruefully.

Then she slowly stood up, rather horrified at what she had just done..._no way_...and all in less than a few seconds...she defeated _him_, whom no one knew...

But she had no time to reflect upon her actions. She was at Lee's side in a matter of seconds and held his head in her lap, feebly stroking his cheek. Tears flooded her emerald eyes in remorse of her own existence. Not Lee...she knew what would happen if he got involved.

"Lee-chan..." she whispered concernedly.

His eyes gently fluttered open, and a smirk enlightened his face.

"Sakura-san...did I succeed? Did I keep you safe? Are..are you okay?"

Giant teardrops fell onto her hand. _No, Lee...you can't go...how can you live to protect me if...you don't live?_

"Lee-chan...I am...I'm fine...are _you_ okay?"

He only lifted his hand weakly. She carefully took it and held it gently against her check, trying not to soak it in tears. She knew the blade had gone too deep...no turning back now...it was now or never, Sakura...

"Lee-chan..." He looked so lost, his eyes losing focus.

"Lee-chan...I'm...I'm sorry I always refused you..."

She watched helplessly as the color drained from his cheeks.

"I should have known how wonderful you were...but I never gave you a chance..."

The fire died from his eyes, but he kept listening.

"I...have always...loved you, Lee-chan..."

His smile twisted upside down. Then he replied ever so faintly.

"I love you, too...Sakura-chan..."

She rubbed his hand against her cheek once more, than bent low...until her lips met his...steady streams of tears rolled down her face, melting into his...and they stayed locked together with who they truly loved...until Sakura could no longer feel him ever so slightly returning the gesture...then she hugged him one last time and lay huddled over his body, her mouth not able to help the shrieks of mourning that escaped from her throat.

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**Review please! Lee is the best ^-^**


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